Upon NetGo
by Luce Red
Summary: AU. What if Hikaru had continued playing NetGo, and had never become an insei or a pro? Pairing: HikaruAkira


Title: Upon NetGo  
Author: Luce Red  
Series: Hikaru no Go  
Disclaimer: Characters are property of Hotta and Obata  
Notes/warning: AU. What if Hikaru had continued to play NetGo? Making light of medical emergencies.  
Pairing: Touya/Shindou.

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The day that Shindou Hikaru was unmasked as Sai was also the day that Touya Kouyo was hospitalized with his second heart attack. Actually, the two events were linked, but Touya didn't discover this until he reached the hospital, to be met by Shindou babbling, in rapid-fire and on constant replay, the following sentences:

1) "Touya-sensei said he had chest pains while we were playing."  
2) "I called an ambulance."  
3) "I didn't kill him, did I?"

His (Touya's) mother gave Shindou a big hug for the second, squeezing him so tightly in her anxiety that his face turned red. She also managed to shut him up. Touya stood and added two and two together.

First, although Shindou had turned out to be quite a decent Go player after all, he refused to turn pro, saying that he had more fun playing NetGo. Second, Sai was currently the king of the NetGo world, and even people like Touya's father had learnt to manoeuvre around the Internet so they could play with him. Third, his father had mentioned that he and Sai had arranged to play a game that afternoon.

Add that to a freaking 2,591 games he'd played with Shindou at the salon (2,003 won by him, 570 by Shindou, and 18 draws) and another 56 he'd played with Sai...

"You!" Touya shouted, his voice loud enough that his mother dropped Shindou from her embrace in shock. "You're Sai, aren't you?"

"Akira!" his mother said. "This is a hospital!"

Shindou started to open his mouth, his expression reminding Touya of all the times when Shindou had faked him out with a hand that resulted in severe losses for him, and this time he knew better than to let Shindou try.

"I know how to check my father's computer," Touya said. "I'm sure there's a trail."

Shindou deflated. "Erm. Yeah," he said. "But keep it quiet, okay?" he added, "I can't imagine the fuss that'd result if this gets out."

"Oh. Right," Touya found himself saying. Part of him was surprised it was this easy to get Shindou to confess. He should have definitely been more threatening that time he caught Shindou in the Internet café. "Wait. You're Sai? My boyfriend is Sai?" he repeated, more to himself than to Shindou. It seemed unbelievable that big-mouthed Shindou had been able to keep a secret like that for six years.

"Shhh!" Shindou said, putting a hand over his mouth.

"What are you arguing about? It can't be that important, can it?" Touya's mother said anxiously. "What's more important is your father!"

Touya pulled off Shindou's hand. "He's been lying to me and to father, and goodness knows about what else!" he said.

"But… dear, he called the ambulance…"

"Touya-san, if you'll come with me…" The doctor, who had exited the emergency room, had been trying to get their attention for the last few minutes. He was looking rather annoyed at being ignored.

His mother put her hands to her mouth, anticipating the worst. "Akira!" she said, terrified.

The doctor's annoyance, rather than the dreaded polite courtesy, reassured Touya about his father's condition, so he continued to glare at Shindou. "Stay here, and don't you dare leave!"

"But I-"

"We are going to have a talk." Touya made sure to enunciate the words slowly and precisely.

_Gulp._ "Erm. Okay," Shindou said in a feeble voice. He backed away, and half-stumbled into a chair. "I'll just… erm. Wait here."

"Good." Touya intensified his glare for good measure, and was gratified to see Shindou wince.

He and his mother went with the doctor, and managed to take in the news that luckily, his father had reached the hospital in time. The doctors had done an emergency bypass, and his father would recover soon.

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"Explain yourself," Touya said.

They were in the café near the hospital. Touya's mother had gone back to pack some things for his father, leaving Touya to take care of the hospitalization details.

"Erm..." Shindou shrank into his jacket.

"You think this is very funny, don't you?" Touya asked. "Letting me beat you at the salon, and secretly playing as Sai on the Internet. It's all a great joke to you, isn't it?"

"No!" Shindou said, shaking his head frantically. "Really! I didn't mean to lie to you."

"Oh, really."

"The problem is-" Shindou started, and wound down suddenly. "Nobody will ever believe this," he said, his hands twitching around the can of green tea on the table.

"Believe what?"

"I…" Shindou began, looking down at the table intently. "I knew someone, when I was twelve. He was the one who taught me to play Go. He had to hide his identity, so we played NetGo. Then… he left."

"Sai left?"

Shindou looked so stricken that Touya felt instantly guilty. "You miss him very much," he said, his voice softening.

"Yeah… I do."

Touya thought about it. There _was_ that time when Shindou stopped playing Go. He had been depressed for a while, and Touya had thought there was a death in Shindou's family, or something, and he had tried to ask Shindou's mother, but she had just looked puzzled. "But why couldn't you tell me you were Sai?" he asked. "I would have kept your secret."

Shindou looked down. "It wasn't my secret to tell, at that time, and later… I continued to play NetGo as Sai--in memory of him, and I kept defeating pro players, and after a while I had beaten too many of them… it was just too embarrassing."

Embarrassing was the right word, Touya thought as he recalled _his_ last game with Sai. He reached out and thumped Shindou on the top of his head, none too gently.

"Ow!" Shindou said, rubbing his head. "What did you do that for?" he demanded.

"Why don't you play at full-strength with me, then, in the salon?" Touya asked. "I beat you four times out of five!"

"That's because…" A smile rose to Shindou's face suddenly. "Do you remember what you said the last time I won a game against you?"

"What did I say…" Touya paused to gather his thoughts. Oh. He could feel himself blushing. "I said you should try playing with Sai."

"Because our playing styles were similar," Shindou said wryly. "Well, duh."

For good measure, Touya tried to thump him again.

"Hey," Shindou protested, ducking. "Is this anyway to treat your boyfriend?" He paused, and looked fearfully at Touya. "Are you still angry with me?"

"Yes."

Shindou deflated.

"I know there's something about Sai you're not telling me," Touya said.

Faint alarm entered Shindou's eyes.

"But right now, frankly, I don't care," Touya said. "My father's in hospital, and soon I'll have to deal with the press, my students, my father's students and goodness knows what else. I can keep your secret," he went on, noting Shindou's shoulders slumping in relief, "but one day, soon, you're going to tell me everything. Or else."

Shindou was looking at him. "If I say that you look cute when you're angry, will you get mad?"

"Shindou Hikaru!"

"Um. Right." He swallowed. "Your mother probably knows, from the way you were yelling. And maybe Touya-sensei, too."

"That's all right. My mother doesn't care about anything else other than my father right now, and my father won't spread your secret. Besides, you probably saved his life."

Shindou nodded. "Okay." He paused. "I'm glad you know, anyway."

Touya allowed himself to relax a little. "Good. Shall we go now? I think my father will be waking up soon."

They stood up, and saw Ogata coming towards them, waving when he spotted the two of them.

"Oh, man, it's Ogata," Shindou groused, almost soundlessly. "Just the person I wanted to see."

"He's a great fan of Sai."

"Yeah. Mr. 'Great-White-Shark.' "

"You-you're joking."

"I only wish."

---------the end------------


End file.
